If you’re at all fascinated by languages and words, you might enjoy listening to this. Even if you aren’t, it might still make you chuckle because I’ve heard Finnish sounds like gibberish. And as a bonus, it’s a really special song!
I love the English language! It is not just the fact that I’m fluent enough to do the practical stuff, like express myself at the doctors, either. I just feel so connected to the language. I have christened that feeling ‘the soul fluency’. It is when your mind, your dreams, even your feelings function in a certain language. It is the feeling the language gives you when you open your mouth, the feeling of coming home. Like that language forms a part of your soul. That really is English to me.
But then again, Finnish is my mother tongue. It is the language I uttered my first word in. So it is, too, a part of my soul and that is a side you don’t get to see here often. That’s why I thought it would be nice to introduce it with this song. Finnish is weird, peculiar, complex language. It is beautiful too, like the man above. Or what do you think?
Anyway, I admire the artist Samuli Putro endlessly. He is a lyrical genius. I think he really has a unique, gentle way of portraying our ordinary lives. I hope the feeling comes across! But just so you don’t have to trust Google Translate I have translated the lyrics for you. Listen, read, fall in love!
But before you do, just out of curiousity, what is the language that speaks to your soul? Or the word, for that matter, if you’re more of a word-geek?
Lyrics:
Ash in the Jewellery Chest – Tuhkaa korulippaassa
In the morning, I see migrant birds
In formation, on the sky
I’m moved and I greet them
See you in the spring, or later
I stood there, in the shade of the moment
Musing on the frailty of human life
And I could not question
Some kind of God
Our life has a purpose
And beauty in its every moment
We’re not automatons
Typing errors on the screen
Our life has a purpose
Everyone’s story is precious
We are not meaningless
Ash in the jewellery chest
I celebrate my birthday today
My present was a digital camera
I took two photos of a woman
Other one of them looked pretty
I decided to propose tonight
To the lady on the photo, knees on the carpet
I pondered over the words carefully
I closed my eyes and I smiled
Our life has a purpose
And beauty in its every moment
We’re not automatons
Typing errors on the screen
Our life has a purpose
Everyone’s story is precious
We are not meaningless
Ash in the jewellery chest
Ash in the jewellery chest
People’s expressions and
In the old songs
Flowering fields and
In the winter snow drifts
Spouse’s haircut I’ll notice or maybe not
Yellow September and stains on the linen
Our life has a purpose
And beauty in its every moment
Our life has a purpose
And beauty in its every moment
We’re not automatons
Typing errors on the screen
Our life has a purpose
Everyone’s story is precious
We’re not meaningless
Ash in the jewellery chest
Ash in the jewellery chest
daydreamdaisies 